


11. Psych 101

by Knitwritezombie (Missa_G)



Series: Care and Feeding 'Verse [10]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Clones Are People Too, Gen, Grieving, Post-Umbara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26964241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missa_G/pseuds/Knitwritezombie
Summary: Prompt: Struggling|CryingIn the direct aftermath of Umbara, Cody is trying to figure out what happens next.
Series: Care and Feeding 'Verse [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956823
Kudos: 75
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	11. Psych 101

**Author's Note:**

> This series didn't really have an anchor in canon timelines until this point. But now this is a thing, so...yeah. I'm also starting to refer to things that happened in other parts of the series, so if you missed something, let me know.
> 
> I'm also a little behind. I've been trying to catch up on some real world obligations, plus I wrote myself into a corner on a couple of recent selections, so it's taking me a bit to work my way back out.

Tears ran silently down Cody’s face, and he could see the same was true for many of the men gathered around the pyre. They weren’t just tears of sadness for the men they’d lost, but also of frustration, confusion, and anger at what had happened. None of them bothered to hide behind their buckets; there was no use in it when they all felt the same level of betrayal and hurt.

One of the Jedi had turned on them. Not just gone the way of Ventress and Dooku as dar’jetti, but actively turned two Corps of soldiers against each other - his 212th and Rex’s 501st. Krell had murdered vod’e in all but name, and Cody wasn’t sure, based on the initial reports, that Dogma would ever fully recover from the trauma of killing his General, even if the action had been justified (and Cody wondered how kriffed in the head he was for being thankful that it hadn’t been Rex that had taken the shot). Dogma had been sedated and sent back to the Negotiator under guard and Honeycutt’s watch.

Kenobi was nearby, keeping his distance while paying his own respects to those they’d lost. Cody knew he’d be shouldering some of the blame for not acting faster, and for not protesting Krell’s assignment to take over Skywalker’s Legion; not to mention that as the senior General in the sector (not to mention a member of the Jedi High Council), he was responsible for investigating what happened.

The Remembrance had been said, and they were waiting for the pyre to burn down. Some vod’e began to trickle away in pairs or small groups, seeking comfort amongst themselves. The mission was far from over, but Cody and Kenobi had done the best they could to post sentries that had been least impacted by the events of the past few days, though both were aware that they could be called back into action at any moment. Despite Fives and Jesse’s successful plan (successful-ish, in that they lost Hardcase) to take out an Umbaran supply ship, they both knew that it was only a matter of time before the Shadow People renewed their defense of their homeworld.

Cody himself needed to check on Boil and the rest of Waxer’s Dha platoon, then start thinking about how to restructure Ghost company (though he could probably rely on Wooley to do that, as Captain), and coordinate with Rex to see what the 501st might need. He should meet with his General to see how he wanted to proceed with the investigation (they’d only gotten preliminary reports after Krell was - executed). 

Instead of moving to start seeing to any of those duties, however, Cody kept staring into the flames and embers of the pyre, wondering how any of his men would be able to trust their General again. Wondered if he should trust his General. He knew Kenobi wasn’t like Krell; but if one Jedi could fall, couldn’t they all? 

Cody had known all along that he and his brothers were disposable - a means to an end. Why make Republic citizens fight their own battles when there was an army created to serve at the whim of the Chancellor, Senate, and Jedi? The only reason they had been on Umbara in the first place was to draw them back into the Republic to exploit their resources for ship-building materials. It wasn’t even a strategic location. 

But to have one of their leaders so callously throw their lives away rubbed at Cody the wrong way. They may have been disposable, but they were still sentient beings. They may not be free, but they were individuals with hopes and dreams and desires, and Krell had completely disregarded that, seeing them only as a faceless mass of soldiers to be thrown at the enemy for his own means, no matter the cost. 

And then he remembered that nightmare, the one where he’d seen Kenobi slaughter his brothers, saying they’d outlived their usefulness, calling Cody only by his number. 

Fresh tears of rage and betrayal coursed down Cody’s face, and he swiped at them angrily. 

“Commander?”

Cody whirled around, hand moving toward his blaster without thought.

“Easy, Cody, my apologies,” Kenobi said gently, his hands held out to his sides slightly, clearly away from his ‘saber. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Cody took a deep breath and nodded, forcing himself to relax somewhat. “It’s alright, sir. Did you need something?”

Kenobi looked at him curiously. “No. I came to see if you needed anything.”

“I’m fine, sir,” Cody responded automatically.

Kenobi seemed to study him for a moment, and Cody remembered some of the rumours that had spread around Kamino about the Jedi being mind readers. Kenobi had said it wasn’t true (mostly), but Cody was beginning to see where the idea came from. “Come with me?” the General asked, and it was most clearly not an order.

Cody nodded and followed his General to the command center, nodding to the two sentries posted out front to watch over their secured communications. Kenobi waved him toward a stack of crates they’d used as seats previously and disappeared further down the room, returning with a canteen and a package of high energy drink mix from a meal kit. Cody accepted both when they were handed to him; the drink mix was allegedly meiloorun flavored. 

While Cody shook the powder into the canteen, Kenobi settled next to him and started divesting himself of his limited armor. 

“Sir,” Cody warned.

“Just the top half, Cody,” Kenobi protested. “It pinches horribly, and I have had a cramp in my back for the last hour.” He proceeded to take off the chest and back pieces, and the shoulder pauldrons, but left the gauntlets and vambraces in place. He rolled his shoulders and winced as several things popped then settled into a slightly slumped posture with a sigh. 

They sat companionably for a few moments, passing the canteen back and forth, until Kenobi spoke quietly. “You seemed distressed, Cody. Earlier.” 

It wasn’t a criticism, merely an observation. It also had the feeling of a massive understatement. Cody was well known for being calm and controlled in most situations, and it really wasn’t surprising that the General had picked up on his turmoil, even amongst so many grieving and upset vod’e.

Cody swallowed the mouthful of water and capped the canteen. “We were made for the Jedi,” he said softly. “And it was made clear to us in training that the Jedi could do whatever they wished with us. And we, at least those of us high enough in command positions, know that not all the Jedi agree with this war or the use of clones. But hearing the initial report from Rex…” he trailed off and tried to organize his thoughts and explain. 

Finally, he settled on honesty. “Why didn’t anyone see it before it came to this?” He asked. “Krell had one of the highest casualty rates of any General in the GAR, even higher than Tarkin. Why didn’t anyone question it, question him?”

“We did. Or at least, Plo and I raised the issue with the Council, but it was disregarded,” Kenobi answered. “When taken on the average, the numbers didn’t stand out, and Masters Windu and Yoda felt it wasn’t urgent enough to address.” Kenobi sighed. “As to the darkness within him…” he paused. “This war has pushed so many of us beyond anything we ever thought we’d encounter,” he said softly. “And I think more of us are walking the line between light and dark than anyone, especially the Council, had considered when we were pulled into this.”

They were quiet again for a minute. This time, Cody broke it. “What happens now?”

“We continue on,” Kenobi said dryly. “Unfortunately.”

“How do we keep it from happening again?” Cody asked, not looking at his General. Flashes of his previous nightmare popped into his mind. 

The plastoid of Kenobi’s gloves knocked dully against Cody’s vambraces. “I cannot promise that it won’t,” he said honestly. “But if you ever feel like I’m disregarding the lives of my - of our men - needlessly putting them in danger or sending them on missions or runs that have no clear objective, I hope you know that I’d expect you to tell me.”

Cody nodded. 

“Commander?” 

“Yes, sir,” Cody responded, understanding the prompt for what it was - a need for verbal confirmation of an order received. 

Kenobi withdrew his hand, rapping his knuckles against Cody’s forearm. “I need to report to the Council again. Are you sure there’s nothing you need?”

Cody shook his head. “I need to go check on Boil and Rex, and then meet with Wooley about restructuring Ghost to fill in the losses.”

“Please have Rex and his officers prepared to meet at 0800 tomorrow, Commander.” With Krell gone and Skywalker back on Coruscant, Kenobi was now in command of both legions. “And make sure the word spreads that my door is open if needed.”

“Yes, sir,” Cody answered, getting to his feet. “The investigation?” He asked. 

“I’ve enough to take to the Council for now. We can figure out how further to proceed in the morning, Cody. Get some rest.” Kenobi was sitting up straighter, reaching for the comm affixed to his vambrace. 

“You too, sir,” Cody responded, and took himself off in search of his wounded brothers.

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a:
> 
> dar'jetti: literally, no longer Jedi, but used to refer to one that's fallen or the Sith
> 
> Waxer's Dha platoon: Dha = dark.


End file.
